


With Wild Hearts

by Tabithian



Series: Trope Meme Fills [5]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU - Comicverse, Nightwing (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Not!Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-24
Updated: 2013-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-06 07:22:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/732955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabithian/pseuds/Tabithian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not!fic written for the trope meme for Anonymous' prompt of DickTim, high school AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	With Wild Hearts

Hmm. For this one the one where the ages are skewed a little to make this work so they're both in high school at the same time. 

Dick's in his junior year, and Tim's a freshman. (He's actually maybe a year younger than the rest of his classmates because he was allowed to skip a grade.)

Tim's seen signs up from the school paper looking for new photographers Tim decides to see what that's all about. Photography's kind of a hobby of his, and his guidance counselor from his previous school told him he should get more involved, sign up for clubs and whatnot.

When he goes in for an interview, the room they use is mostly empty, except for the guy doing a handstand at the back of the room. 

The guy's facing the windows, away from where Tim's standing, and doesn't seem to notice he's not alone in the room anymore. 

Also, Tim really doesn't know what to do. The door's kind of quiet, doesn't make much noise when it closes. And from the way the guy's humming the _Jeopardy_ themes to himself, Tim doesn't think he would have heard it even if it did.

So Tim stands there for a while because he's not sure if he should make some noise, call out to the guy because that could disrupt his focus and make him fall, possibly hurting himself, _or_. Or the guy would look over and notice Tim.

He starts to feel like a creeper after a couple of minutes goes by, and just when he's about to say something someone throws the door to the room open and stalks towards the hand-stand guy.

Guy number two gives Tim a passing glance and glares at hand-stand guy. “Dammit, Dick, what the hell are you doing?”

Hand-stand guy – apparently Dick – rolls forward out of the handstand and up on his feet, and throws his arms out with a huge smile on his face.

Guy number two rolls his eyes and does a polite golf-clap. “Amazing, stupendous,” he says flatly. “I'm in awe.”

Dick doesn't take offense, walking towards guy number two to pull him into a noogie, laughing as guy number two tries to pry himself free, swearing and kicking at Dick's feet, which he deftly evades.

“Um,” Tim says. He's starting to think this was a terrible idea. “Hello?”

Dick and guy number two look up at that, and finally, they seem to notice Tim's there.

“Hey,” Tim says, and holds up one of the fliers advertising the need for a photographer. “I came about this?”

Tim really doesn't mean to make everything he says come out as a question, but these aren't normal circumstances, really.

“Oh!” Dick says, walking towards Tim with guy number two's head wedged under one arm. “I'm Dick,” he directs a fond look at guy number two. “This jerk is Jason.” 

Jason manages to punch Dick in the ribs for that, laughing as he finally gets himself free of Dick's hold.

“That's what you get, _Dick_.”

Tim's not really backing away, no.

Just.

Okay, yes, he is. Because he knows who these two are now. Everyone knows about Dick Grayson and Jason Todd are. 

Their names are spoken of in hushed whispers at Tim's old school, he can only imagine how they're seen in this one.

“Oh, man, look,” Dick says. “You scared him.”

Tim stops his retreat to scowl at Dick, which makes Jason laugh.

“Kid doesn't like that, Dickie,” he says, but it's not _mean_. Not the way some of the kids at Tim's old school used to sound like when they talked about him.

“Sorry,” Dick says, scratching the back of his head. “Do-over?”

Tim's about to say no, because _really_ , but.

Dick and Jason are smiling at him, and they seem friendly enough.

“Hi,” Tim says, trying his best not to fidget. “I'm here about the ad you put out.”

Dick _beams_ at him and Tim knows that's just asking for trouble. 

And then shenanigans.

Dick and Jason take Tim under their wing, giving him a tour of the school that covers which bathrooms belong to the smokers, what hallways to avoid, which teachers are most lenient when it comes to hall passes and tardies. 

He eats lunch with them and makes friends with the rest of the newspaper staff, like Steph and Cass and meets Dick and Jason's little brother Damian and Alfred and sort of gets assimilated into the family without realizing it at first.

There's always the thing where Tim's trying to do what his mother wants, even though she's not really home long enough to see what he's achieved. He tries to pretend it doesn't bother him as much as it does, but Dick and Jason notice, so they drag Tim along with them wherever they go.

Jason and the others notice the crush Tim has on Dick and vice versa, but don't say anything because the two of them are better than any soap opera.

Awkward conversations and looking at one another when the other one isn't looking. Dick shoving food onto Tim at lunch, after picking out the things Tim wouldn't eat if his life depended on it. Dick getting Tim to help him with homework or something because Tim's crazy smart and maybe in the same class. (“Seriously, Dick? I thought - “ “Shut up, Jason!”)

And other things. 

Getting lunch off campus at a nearby fast food place, Dick going with Tim to get photos for the paper the others want – cheerleading squad on their new routine, football team about the upcoming season – and Tim's like.

“You didn't have to come with me, I know you are Jason are working on a new article.”

“Jason can handle it.”

Tim learns that Jason has a _thing_ about one of the Metropolis high school's paper - 

“They're hacks,” Jason says, pointing at Tim. “Just because their cousin is some big time reporter for the _Daily Planet_ they think they have it made.”

Dick just rolls his eyes. “Jason,” he says. “Is crazy.”

“I'm not!”

“He really kind of is,” Dick says, leaning closer to Tim in order to whisper in his ear. “Conner and Kara's cousin is Clark Kent.”

Tim blinks. “Wait, isn't that - “

“He and Lois do interviews with Bruce,” Dick says. “They're family friends.”

Jason seems to be ignoring them in favor of starting on his article. 

“Jason has some stupid rivalry going on with Conner and Kara and I laugh at all of them.”

Tim can actually see that, having gotten to know Dick.

Dick and Jason are the ones who go all investigative reporter, Hardy Boy style. Tim is trying to be the voice of reason, but he usually gets outvoted or talked over so he's like, “Someone needs to be there to save them from themselves.”

And they stumble over minor crimes all the time at school, like that time they found out the cafeteria staff were watering down the nacho cheese sauce.

“Oh, wow, yeah. Pulitzer for sure on that one, Dick. 'Teen Journalists expose nacho scandal!'”

And a few that lands the three of them in actual trouble because _Gotham_. It starts out small, rumors of betting on one of the sports teams or something, and spirals out into something bigger. Some small-time crime boss or something, and they get caught and they all know it's not going to end well.

“On a scale from Bruce's disapproving headshake to Alfred's 'I expected better of you', how much trouble do you think we're in?”

“They're going to bury us alive, Dick!”

“So, Alfred's 'I expected better of you', then?”

“I hate you. So much.”

Then Tim, who they thought ran way when things got serious sneaks up next to them and frees them.

“Oh, fucking hell, kid. We told you to get out of here.”

Dick nods enthusiastically to show he agrees with Jason because hey, good advice there. But Tim just scowls at them.

“You guys are hopeless,” he says, and leads them out of the warehouse or wherever to safety.

“What now?” Jason asks, because really. What now?

Tim grins. “Wait for it.”

Dick looks at him, and -

“Are those sirens?”

Tim smirks, puffs his chest out a little. “So after the last time, I thought it would be a good idea to have the police on speed-dial.”

Jason laughs, and Dick.

Dick looks at Tim, covered in dirt and grime from crawling through the ducts to get out – and back in again. Little smudge of his cheek, one sleeve of his t-shirt torn, and looking so damn pleased with himself, and just.

“Don't look, Jason,” he says. “Cooties.”

And then Dick kisses Tim while Jason makes pained noises somewhere behind them, and it's pretty great. 

They get both Bruce's disapproving headshake and Alfred's “I expected better of you,” and a long lecture from Commissioner Gordon about not being idiots. Clark give them this look that's equal parts disapproval and kicked puppy while he tells them not to do something like that again, and Lois.

Lois gives them the disapproving headshake when Clark and the others are there? But later it's all high-fives and way to go's and “Take it easy on the old people, their hearts can't take that kind of stress.”

And then everyone finds out Dick and Tim are dating and make plans to get them in the running for next year's prom king and queen.

“Seriously, Jason?”

“Shut up, you love it.”


End file.
